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Course Detail

Course: Historical Ice Jam Flooding Damages in the United States

# Course: SE0186

Fee: $27.50

Credit: 1PDH

This course covers ice jam flooding in the United States. It provides an overview of recent major ice jams and the hazards associated with this type of flooding.

Flood stages during an ice jam can increase more rapidly and attain higher levels than those associated with open-water conditions. It is estimated that ice jams cause over $100 million in damages annually in the United States. Roads may be flooded and closed to traffic, and bridges weakened or destroyed, limiting emergency and medical relief to the affected areas. The potential exists for death or serious injury from jam and flood conditions, or during evacuations. Ice covers and ice jams also block hydropower and water supply intakes and delay or stop navigation. In addition, they damage riverine structures such as locks, dams, and dikes, as well as decrease downstream discharge. Furthermore, ice movement and ice jams can severely erode streambeds and banks, with adverse effects on fish and wildlife habitat.

Apart from covering the above conditions, this course will discuss the progress being made in developing an ice jam database. Such a database will be useful both in emergency situations and for mitigation purposes.

Important Note:Please recognize SE0141 – Ice Engineering: Design, Construction and Operation Maintenance, covers the entirety of the material found in this course. If you have already taken or plan on taking SE0141 in the future, we strongly recommend you reconsider completing this course since the course material will be redundant.